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Copyright Jan. 2009. Lynn S. Nored. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without

the prior consent of the author.

Introduction

Why Do We Do Churchthe Way

We “Do Church”?

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Why Study This?Understanding how history and culture have

shaped our church practices

Review and analyze the history and Review and analyze the history and implementation of the “forms” we use implementation of the “forms” we use “doing church”“doing church”

Compare the biblical imperative for the Compare the biblical imperative for the principles and functions we should haveprinciples and functions we should have

Come to a better understanding of why we Come to a better understanding of why we do what we dodo what we do

Enhance our worship and spiritual formationEnhance our worship and spiritual formation Examine the scripture to see if these things Examine the scripture to see if these things

are true Acts 17:11.are true Acts 17:11.

How has culture and history influenced what we do?

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“It seems the church is becoming more like the culture

than the culture like the church”

REACTION TO DECLINE OF MEMBERSHIP AND FAILURE OF

RESTORATION IDEAL

•Reaction to “separtist” dimension:Save the American Family; the Nation; Better Living– Upreach Magazine;

• Combine “separtist” image with strict“disciplining”: the Boston Movement

•Rethinking the Restoration Vision:A grace oriented revival-Jimmy Allen

Hughes, Richard. 1996. “Reviving the Ancient Faith”. Abilene, ACU Press

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What is the difference between “form” and “function”

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What is the difference between “form” and “function”

Function/purpose/ends: Design a bridge to Function/purpose/ends: Design a bridge to cross some areacross some area

Form: Different ways of accomplishing Form: Different ways of accomplishing that purpose, function, or end. that purpose, function, or end.

What is the difference between “form” and “function

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•Purpose•Mission•Ends•“Role”•Principal

FUNCTION

FORM •Method•Procedure•Means•Tasks•Practices

Asks “What”

Asks “How”

Woodroof, Tim. 2000. “A Church That Flies: A New Call to Restoration in the Churches of Christ”. Siloam Springs: Leafwood Publishers

“Doing Bible Things”

“In Bible Ways”

What is the difference between form and function?

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Heart of God Compassionate

•Purpose•Mission•Ends•“Role”•Principle

Function Be compassionate

Just, Merciful,Faithful

Be just, merciful,And faithful

Mistaking Form for

Function

Tithing Mint, Dill,

And CumminMatt. 23:25-28

•Method•Procedure•Means•Tasks•Practices

FormLeave grain in

Corners of fieldFor poor, widows, aliens

Deut. 24:21

What are SOME examples of Function and form in “Doing

Church”

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FUNCTION FORM

COMMUNITY SMALL GROUPS

WORSHIP OUR “ITEMS” OFWORSHIP

DISCIPLESHIP CLASSES

EVANGELISM “STARBUCKS”

SERVICE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

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Should form follow function or function follow form?

Function Form Distortion

COVENANTGen. 17:11

Circumcision Circumcision is circumcision of the heart..not by the written codeRom. 2:27-29

Covenant/Doing as God pleasesGen. 31:13

The Sabbath “Trample poor…When will Sabbathbe ended that we maysell grain.”Amos 8:4-6

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Should form follow function or function follow form?

Form Prevents Function

Form follows Function

Form Eclipses Function

Does form or function matter in biblical interpretation of

“Doing Church”?

Attempts to follow the “form” or the “pattern”Text Pattern Implementation

Lord’s Supper:Mark 14:15

“upper room” Build “upper room”

Baptism:Matt 3:13 “Jordan River” water

“flowing water”

Lord’s Supper “sung hymn”And “went out”

“going out” after Lord’s Supper

Washing Feet:John 13:14

Example of “washing feet”

Wash feet in the service

Ketcherside, Karl. 1996. “According to the Pattern”. DeFuniak, Springs: Diversity Press (http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/wcketcherside/attp/

What is the “pattern” method of interpretation

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“The glorious church without spot or blemish is, therefore, the individual congregation

which is faithful in replicating the pattern. In an understanding of the history of

Christianity for Churches of Christ leaders, apostasy and the need for restoration

always occurs because of a departure from the church blueprint provided by Christ. The

apostasy is not secularity, immorality, indifference to the spirit, or a cold, unfeeling

regard for the savior, but a concrete deviation from the perfect pattern of the individual

congregation. “

Olbricht, Thomas. 1995. “Hermeneutics in the Chruches of Christ”. Restoration Quarterly, Vol 37. < http://www.acu.edu/sponsored/restoration_quarterly/archives/1990s/vol_37_no_1_contents/olbricht.html>

In the past we have assumed that the church for

which Christ died and for which he is lawgiver is

basically one of correct structure in polity,

worship, and discipline. Salvation results from

entering that church through baptism and

maintaining the structure sacrosanct.

The Pattern Hermeneutic Finding the Right Formby an “atomizing” look atscripture

What is “patternism”?

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1. InductionCollect the facts.Carefully study and compare the facts.Whatever is exceptional is excluded.Contrary instances weighed.Draw a general truth from the specific facts.

2. DeductionDraw a specific truth from a general truth.Deduction verifies the induction.Deduction yields new truth implied by general truth and combinations of previous deduced and explicit truths.

3. Erect the System (Temple of Truth).Quarry out the facts and new (deduced) truths.Systematize them and fit them together.

4. Result:  The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth.

Hicks, John Mark. “Stone-Campbell Hermeneutics”, May 28, 2008. <  http://johnmarkhicks.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/stone-campbell-hermeneutics-iii-baconian-hermeneutics-and-churches-of-christ/ >

How Does Pattern Interpretation Affect the Way We Do Church?

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Patternism Fails to Distinguish Between Form, Function, and Cultural Expressions: Assumptions Are Made

Titus 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint a elders in every town, as I directed you.  

•Was this because Paul wanted establish elders as leaders in every congregation?

•Or was this because this reflected the ancient leadership pattern where elders were those respected and “hung out at the gate”?

•This was to be “in Crete”. Was this local event to be universal?—a classical problem of modernism.

What is the relevance to me today?

Are we “doing church” as God wants?Are we “doing church” as God wants? Moderns: Primarily focused on Moderns: Primarily focused on

forms/structuresforms/structures Postmoderns: Focused on Postmoderns: Focused on

relationships/authenicity/experiences/relationships/authenicity/experiences/spiritualityspirituality

We need examine the scripture to see We need examine the scripture to see if these things are true Acts 17:11if these things are true Acts 17:11

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What should be our “pattern”?

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•Christ should be our pattern and example•Christ informs our mission/function/purpose•Our Purpose informs our practice of “How We Do Church”

Hirsch, A. and Frost, M. 2006. “The Shaping of Things to Come”. Peabody: Hendrickson Press.

Join the Conversation

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Join in the Discussion of Our Lessons Each Week by:

Joining the Missional Outreach Network DiscussionGroup on “Why We Do Church the Way We ‘DoChurch’?”

Next Week: Why Do We Assemble Like We Assemble? Functions of “Assembly”